Front Main Seal Replacement

94GTLaserRC · Nov 12, 2004

Just wanted to know if anyone has an idea what it should cost me to let a shop replace my front main seal.

With all the holidays coming up, I dont really have the time (or patience) to be doing this.

Im pretty sure that's where my leak is coming from.
Thanks
RC

blksn955.o · Nov 12, 2004

Man for real it is realy easy, prob. easier than anything gasket related on the car. I hear you on the time thing though.

remove belt, pull the Harm. ball. with a puller, use a flat blade screw driver and work out the seal (may need a hammer to "push" in one side to work it loose), put some RTV on the ouside of the new one, lube the seal, tap into place, there even is a good amount of room under it to do it laying on your back under it. I would just hate to hear how much money you could get charged for how easy it is.

going to a dealer or shop?

Killercanary · Nov 12, 2004

Its not a hard thing to do, but I bet its going to be $$$ to have a shop do it. I bet at least 2hrs labor depending on if they have to remove the rad which they more than likely will with the vortech and I think you have a fluidyne rad.

Joes95GT · Nov 12, 2004

blksn955.o said:
put some RTV on the ouside of the new one

I could be wrong, but when my Dad and I put my car back together, we didn't use RTV on the seal. I don't think that would be too smart being that the squeezed out RTV could easily find it's way into the oilpan.

As a matter of fact, I don't think we used RTV anywhere when putting the car back together.

Joe

blksn955.o · Nov 12, 2004

I put a very small amount on the oustide (part that goes tight to the timing cover) ring to make sure the thing had a good seal. I think my haynes man. said to use it so I did. since you tap it in pushing it to the rear, if there was to be too much goo on it, the excess would move to outside of the block as that is the = but opposite reaction of the install process. Also RTV is not like oil and gets tacky quick and would have a hard time to "drip" into the oilpan. The important thing would be to clean the surface, and putting lube on the rubber part that contacts the crank.

None on the whole motor??? what about the front/rear lower intake area, or if you used the rubber ends the intersection of were the ends meet the intake gaskets? What about the water passages on the intake gaskets? The water pump, t-stat, and timing cover all call for a bead of sealer, if anything to hold the gaskets inplace. By RTV I mean any gasket sealer like permatex.

Joes95GT · Nov 12, 2004

blksn955.o said:
I put a very small amount on the oustide (part that goes tight to the timing cover) ring to make sure the thing had a good seal. I think my haynes man. said to use it so I did. since you tap it in pushing it to the rear, if there was to be too much goo on it, the excess would move to outside of the block as that is the = but opposite reaction of the install process. Also RTV is not like oil and gets tacky quick and would have a hard time to "drip" into the oilpan. The important thing would be to clean the surface, and putting lube on the rubber part that contacts the crank.

None on the whole motor??? what about the front/rear lower intake area, or if you used the rubber ends the intersection of were the ends meet the intake gaskets? What about the water passages on the intake gaskets? The water pump, t-stat, and timing cover all call for a bead of sealer, if anything to hold the gaskets inplace. By RTV I mean any gasket sealer like permatex.

My Dad is a Ford mechanic and he hates RTV. I think he has one small tube that is older than me. We used 4 small drops of silicone (smaller than a dime) in the corners of the end seal gaskets and the head-to-intake gaskets and that was it. None on the timing cover. I asked him when I went to Pep Boys before we threw everything together whether or not I should get RTV, and he told me RTV is a band-aid. I just agreed....

Joe

blksn955.o · Nov 12, 2004

There is a million ways to build a motor and they all seem to work, so if it works great. I think its a band-aid if you dont have the correct gasket or no gasket but that is my .02.

Killercanary · Nov 12, 2004

Joe, I have RTV everywhere... front main seal, corners of the oil pan at the front and rear mains, the rear main seal, and the front and rear of the lower intake. You are the first person I ever heard of that doesn't use it.

nunly94gt · Nov 12, 2004

Killercanary said:
Joe, I have RTV everywhere... front main seal, corners of the oil pan at the front and rear mains, the rear main seal, and the front and rear of the lower intake. You are the first person I ever heard of that doesn't use it.

RTV was my best friend for a long time. Especially on the dang valve covers but anyways. Front main seal.............Have fun! Sometimes balancers are a PITA.

Killercanary · Nov 12, 2004

nunly94gt said:
RTV was my best friend for a long time. Especially on the dang valve covers but anyways. Front main seal.............Have fun! Sometimes balancers are a PITA.

HOLY ****... its Nunly!!!! Where did you come from!?!? Good to see you on here again.

nunly94gt · Nov 12, 2004

Killercanary said:
HOLY ****... its Nunly!!!! Where did you come from!?!? Good to see you on here again.

Check my other post My fire has been lit again!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Im helping someone out and I am in the market for one of my own.

94GTLaserRC · Nov 12, 2004

I appreciate everyone's help and replies, but I DIDNT want to know whether "I" should use RTV or not....

My question was does anyone know what a shop would charge to do this job.

Paul, what does the Vortech have to do with whether or not they have to take the radiator off??? If we were able to change the balancer with the radiator on, shouldnt the seal be able to be replaced same way??
Thanks
RC

MysteryStanger! · Nov 13, 2004

Im guessing 3 hours labor times whatever the shop charges per hour, and a few bucks for the seal.

DARK-5.0 · Nov 14, 2004

Rob, I say pick up your balls and just do it. Its a cheap part and you can rent the harmonic balancer puller. I'd say it would take someone with no experience 3-4 hours to do. Are you telling me that you can't find 3-4 hours to do this. Put the kids to bed and tell the wifey you'll be in in a minute and go out there and do it. Its not hard and like its been said, we'd hate to see you lose hundreds over a cheap part. Its not hard at all. And don't use rtv.

Jeremy

HISSIN50 · Nov 14, 2004

ah yes, the RTV debate on the key-way again. used cautiously, it cant hurt.

IIRC, you make good money - and with the time of year that it is, i can see why you might not want to do the work yourself (not a choice for poor people like me). i support your not doing it - if you dont want to, you dont want to. i get that. (and wish i had that luxury most of the time. ).

BTW, more than one person has had a bad time getting the old seal out of the pot metal timing cover. and if it goes south, one has to remove the cover.

good luck with it.

94GTLaserRC · Nov 14, 2004

DARK-5.0 said:
Rob, I say pick up your balls and just do it. Its a cheap part and you can rent the harmonic balancer puller. Jeremy

DARK-5.0 said:
Put the kids to bed and tell the wifey you'll be in in a minute and go out there and do it. .

..Do you have kids? They stay up later than me.

Anyway...There is a guy from our local stang group, TCH, that just opened up his own shop near Steeda. He is trying to get his "roots" started. He said he would charge me $100. While the car is there, I can catch a ride over to Harbour Freight for some shopping.

Thanks for the "words of encouragement"!

RC

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